Foott Waste responds to protracted waste contract controversy

Greater Shepparton City Council officers originally recommended that ASX-listed company Cleanaway be awarded the multimillion-dollar contracts ahead of Foott Waste, but in a divided decision, councillors voted for a new tender process.

It remains to be seen exactly what that process will be.

Mr Foott said the procurement process had been a difficult one for the family and staff behind the business.

“How council gets to it (the final decision) we don’t know. It’s a rigorous process,” he said.

Mr Foott said support from the community and individuals, who rallied to challenge the original recommendation, had left a lasting impression on him and his family.

“We’re starting to grow up as a town and how we look after one another is amazing,” Mr Foott said.

“The calls we’ve had from other business people saying, ‘Footty, this is amazing what you’re trying to do’.

“It’s really good that businesses are banding together and trying to help one another (and) look after one another in their community.”

Mr Foott also pondered the challenge councillors faced comparing a multinational corporation to a local business.

“How do you judge a multinational against a family-owned business that’s built the foundations to propel it to where it is now?” he said.

“It could be transformative to our business. It could bring all sorts of different things to it that are inevitable.”

Mr Foott said he understood the councillors had a difficult decision to make, whether to favour a local business or a multinational corporation.

“They (the councillors) sit there and look at the risk, I suppose, and it’s a democratic situation they’re in and they’re allowed to voice their opinion,” he said.

“I’ve seen the pressure that was put on people, on our councillors.

“(But) in this situation we’re talking about rubbish, we’re not talking about how to fix cancer.”